Series chronicles Judge Lange, City of Minneapolis, Mpls Firefighters’ Kenyan mission
Be sure to check out From Minnesota to Africa: A Journey of Hope featuring Judge LaJune Thomas Lange’s International Leadership Institute’s training mission to Eldoret, Kenya. It’s the first in an exclusive series produced by KSTP Channel 5 chronicling the Minnesota delegation to Kenya, including representatives from the City of Minneapolis, Meet Minneapolis, and the Minneapolis Fire Department among others.
Eldoret, Kenya is one of Minneapolis’ Sister Cities and has a population of 220,000. Earlier this year, with the help of the International Leadership Institute, the City of Minneapolis donated a retired fire truck to Eldoret.
This summer, Eldoret sponsored a training mission that included Minneapolis firefighters, including Minneapolis Fire Chief Alex Jackson, who taught Kenyan civil servants search and rescue techniques, first aid, fire prevention, and other fire-fighting techniques.
The International Leadership Institute (ILI), founded by retired District Court Judge LaJune Thomas Lange, provides partnerships in infrastructure, rule of law, and educational development projects throughout the world that focus on people and nations in transition. The institute’s mission is to facilitate interaction in world affairs and foster intercultural communication among Minnesotans, international organizations, and people in other countries.
“Our goal is to empower communities through partnership,” says Judge LaJune Lange. “By providing basic skills and tools, communities are able to provide for themselves and their families.”
In the process, mission volunteers get more than they bargained for, as we see with Assistant Fire Chief Dave Dewall, who was moved by the experience as Kenyan firefighters, undaunted by limited resources, were humble, grateful and eager to learn.
Twin Cities’ KSTP Channel 5 accompanied ILI to Kenya to profile the work the Institute is doing. The Twin Cities’ delegation also included volunteers in the medical, health and wellness, education and construction fields.
The series, From Minnesota to Africa: A Journey of Hope, debuted September 19 on KSTP, with additional episodes scheduled to air throughout the month of September and October. For more information, visit www.kstp.com. For information on becoming involved or donating to the International Leadership Institute, visit www.internationalleadershipinstitute.org.
—from a press release
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